Spring jack



Dec. 23, 1952 J. c. HOLMES 2,622,845

SPRING JACK Fild Oct. 17, 1949 I N VEN TOR. (fa luv flflolmes PatentedDec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING JACK John CurtisHolmes, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application October 17, 1949, Serial No. 121,704

6 Claims. (01. 254-100) This invention relates to tools and moreparticularly to a tool in the nature of a special jack by means of whichthe load of a vehicle may be lifted from the spring shackles to permittheir removal and repair.

An object of the invention is to provide a tool of simple constructionwhich can be readily applied and which will effectively relieve thespring shackles of the vehicle load to permit the removal of the shacklebolts and the shackles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of the characterindicated which is applicable to both the front and rear ends of avehicle spring and to various types of spring supports a commonly usedin automobiles now on the market.

Further objects will more particularly appear in the course of thefollowing detailed description.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement andcombinations of parts as hereinafter more particularly described andclaimed.

One sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof inwhich like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the improved toolapplied to a spring;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly broken away to illustrate details ofconstruction, and indicating the range of angular adjustment of thetool;

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly broken away showing the tool appliedto a spring and indicating in dotted lines the application of a toolwhere the frame is oifset with respect to the spring; and

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the clamping bracket with the rocking andsliding members in cross section in their neutral position.

In removing spring shackles the general practice is to either jack orlift with a hoist chain the vehicle body until the load is entirely freefrom the springs, then by blocking up the body the shackle bolts can beremoved. However, this requires a rather delicate adjustment to avoidalso lifting the weight of the wheels and axle, and also to prevent anytwisting of the body and frame members with respect to the wheels.

In accordance with the present invention a simple tool is provided whichcan be readily applied to the spring and which by engagement of anadjustable member lifts the load of the vehicle body from the spring,thereby permitting the ready removal of the spring shackle.

The tool comprises a clamping bracket indicated generally by the numeralI, which is preferably of cast or forged construction having on one facespaced clamping jaws 2 and 3, the clamping jaw 2 being preferably formedwith a cut-out portion 21 in its inner face defining spaced end ribs 25to assure an effective seat on the spring leaf, and the lower clampingjaw 3 being provided with a threaded orifice 4 to accommodate a clampingbolt 5 directed toward the opposite clamping jaw 2, by means of whichthe bracket I can be rigidly associated with the spring S of thevehicle.

On its opposite face clamp I is provided with spaced lugs 6-45, theinner faces of which are convexly curved as at '1 to constitute abutmentshoulders to limit the oscillation of a rocking jack member I6.

Each of the abutment lugs 6-6 is provided with a threaded orifice I0 toaccommodate bolts II by means of which a cover plate I2 is secured uponand bridging the abutment lugs 6-6.

Within the space defined by the abutment lugs 66, the medial portion ofthe clamp I and the bridge plate I2, is pivotally positioned the tubularrocking member I6 forming the jack for engaging the automobile frameherein illustrated in its preferable rectangular form, in the lower endof which rocking member I6 is welded or otherwise secured a nut I!having a threaded orifice to accommodate a jack screw I9 having on itsouter end a handle 20 by means of which it can be readily turned.

Within the bore of the tubular rocking member I6 is slidably positionedthe shank or jack stem 23 of the frame-engaging member, the shank 23having its inner end provided With a short bore having at its end ahardened conical seat 22 to engage the conical hardened end 2| of thejack screw I9.

Upon one face of the rocking member I6 is a circular detent adapted toreceive the pivot head I5 formed on a rivet extending through the medialportion 9 of the clamp I and headed as at It on the imier face of saidpart.

By means of the construction thus far described it will be apparent thatthe rocking jack member l6 when positioned between the abutment lugs 66and with the pivot head IS inserted in the complementary detent in theinner wall of said rocking jack member, the rocking jack member can beoscillated with respect to the clamping bracket, as is well illustratedin Figure 2.

On the upper end of the sliding jack stem 23 is an oifset head 24carrying an outwardly directed spur 25 adapted to contact the under faceof the frame of the vehicle adjacent the spring shackle S. By reason ofthis offset head 24 it will be apparent that the jack stem 23 can, ifdesired, be removed and reversed 180 where desired, and in cases wherethe frame member F of the vehicle is offset with respect to the springS, as is the case in connection with some automobiles on the market.This arrangement of the device is illustrated in dotted lines in Figure3.

By reason, of the oscillation permitted in the jack, the device can beapplied to either the forward or rear end of the spring as desired, ineach case taking the thrust of the load at an angle to the vertical andthus preventing any shiftingof the body of the vehicle as the load isapplied.

Various modifications in the structural features of the device willreadily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but within thescope of the present invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Tool forrelieving load from spring shackles comprising, a U-shapedbracket clamp, a jack member pivotally mounted for rocking movement onthe medial portion of the clamp opposite the face from which the legs ofthe U extend, a jack stem axially slidable in the pivoted jack member,means for axially displacing said jack stem with respect to the pivotedmember, and abutment means on said clamp for engaging said pivoted jackmember and supporting the same in oppositely inclined positions relativeto the principal axis of said clamp.

2. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising a U-shapedbracket clamp, a member pivotally mounted for rocking movement onthemedial portion of the clamp opposite the face from which the legs ofthe U extend, a second member axially slidable in the pivoted member,and: means for axially displacing said second member with respect to thepivoted member, the bracket clamp being formed with spaced, opposed jawson one side, a set screw operable through one of said jaws toward theother, and spaced lugs on the opposite side, the confronting faces ofsaid lugs being convex to define an intermediate passage with flaringends, and a strap bridging the outer faces of said lugs to form aclosure for said passage.

3. Tool as specified in claim 1 in which the pivoted jack member hasparallel opposed faces and iii bore having a threaded orifice, a jackscrew operable in said orifice, and the jack stem is square in crosssection having one end formed with an angularly offset portion and theother end formed with a bearing against which the jack screw engages.

5. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising a bracketclamp having on one side spaced jaws, and on the opposite side spacedlugs with confronting faces. angularly disposed to constitute abutments,a pivot head positioned intermediate said lugs, a rocking member havinga depression in one face to engage the pivot head, a strap bridging thelugs to retain the rocking member in rocking relationship with theclamp, an axial bore extending from one end of the rocking member,abridge closing said bore at the opposite end formed with a threadedorifice, a second member axially slidable but not rotatable in the boreof the rocking member, said second member having. one end. offset andprovided with an outwardly directed spur, and its other end formed witha bearing and a screw operable. in the threaded orifice of the bridge inthe. bore arranged to engage the bearing in the end of said secondmember.

6. Tool for relieving load from spring shackles comprising, a U-shapedbracket clamp having on one face opposed clamping jaws, adapted toembrace and engage the vehicle spring adjacent a shackle and on itsother face guiding means for a rocking jack member, a rocking, jackmember pivotally mounted on the clamp, said rocking jack member havingan axial bore of rectangular cross section bridged at one end, a frameengaging member comprising a jack stem of rectangular cross sectionslidable in said boreand an offset head, said jack stem and bore shapedand sized to permit reversal of the head 180 as desired, jack screwmeans interposed between the bridge at the end of the. bore and theinner end of the jack stem whereby said jack stem may be expelledaxially from said rocking member to lift the vehicle frame from thespring, and abutment means on said clamp for engaging said pivoted jackmember and supporting the same in oppositely inclined positions relativeto the principal axis of said clamp.

JOHN CURTIS HOLMES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

